Check out this list of over 45 keyboard shortcuts for the Messages app to help you navigate your texts more quickly on your Mac.
Who doesn’t love keyboard shortcuts? If you can remember them, these useful tools let you accomplish tasks without lifting your fingers from the keyboard.
We’ve put together a list of keyboard shortcuts for the Messages app on your Mac. Bookmark this page and start using the app like a pro!
The Messages window
You can perform the following keyboard shortcuts with the Messages window open and active:
- Minimize the window: Command + M
- Hide the window: Command + H
- Hide all other windows: Option + Command + H
- Have the Messages app fill the entire screen: Control + fn (globe key) + F
- Center the Messages app window: Control + fn (globe key) + C
- Close the window: Command + W
- Open back the window: Command + 0 (zero)
- Put the window in full-screen: Control + Command + F
- Open Messages app settings: Command + , (comma)
- Search Messages: Command + F
- Open Emojis: Control + Command + Space
- Open Spelling and Grammar: Shift + Command + : (colon)
- Quit Messages: Command + Q
Conversation shortcuts
For navigating and taking action on your conversations, check out these shortcuts:
- Start a new conversation: Command + N
- Print a conversation: Command + P
- Select the next conversation: Control + Tab
- Select the previous conversation: Control + Shift + Tab
- Show details about that conversation: Options + Command + I
- Hide alerts from a conversation: Option + Command + M
- Mark a selected conversation as read or unread: Shift + Command + U
- React to the last (or selected) message: Command + T
- Reply to last message: Command + R
- Edit your last sent message (within 15 minutes of sending it): Command + E
Format your text
Use these shortcuts to format your message or add cool effects:
- Bold: Command + B
- Italic: Command + I
- Underline: Command + U
- Make the text big: Option + Command + 1
- Make it small: Option + Command + 2
- Shake the text: Option + Command + 3
- Nod effect: Option + Command + 4
- Make the text explode: Option + Command + 5
- Add ripple effect: Option + Command + 6
- Use bloom effect: Option + Command + 7
- Add jitter: Option + Command + 8
Text message shortcuts
These shortcuts are handy for manipulating the text in your messages:
- Increase text size: Command + Plus Sign (+)
- Decrease text size: Command + Minus Sign (-)
- Make text normal size: Option + Command + 0 (zero)
- Insert a break: Option + Return
- Copy text: Command + C
- Paste text: Command + V
- Use Spelling and Grammar check: Command + ; (semicolon)
Other shortcuts:
- See all messages: Control + Command + 1
- See messages just from known senders: Control + Command + 2
- See messages just from unknown senders: Control + Command + 3
- See just the unread messages: Control + Command + 4
- See your recently deleted messages: Control + Command + 5
- Send an email to the contact: Option + Command + E
- See the contact card for the person whose conversation is selected: Option + Command + B
As you’ve probably noticed, some of these keyboard shortcuts overlap with other Mac apps, such as those for copying and pasting text. However, many are unique to Messages, so double-check before using one to ensure it does what you expect.
Which keyboard shortcuts do you find yourself using most often?
More tips you can’t miss: The 50 best tips for using iMessage on iPhone and iPad